Franklin County, Columbus Rat Control Situation:
Thank you for all the extremely useful info on your site. I really appreciate your site and it is very informative. I was unable to find on your site a suggestion for my situation. I live in a day light basement. It's very nice, however there are rats between the upstairs floor of the house and my ceiling. My landlord spent 1600.00 with a company to seal off the house. Guess this did not work. I am starting to smell rat urine in the air. The upstairs reeks. Do you have a suggestion and is it harmful to be breathing this? I have an exterminator coming out to our home Monday. In the past couple of weeks we have been hearing and smelling offensive things. We found a few holes and then came the dropping under the stove and dishwasher and fridge. I am in full blown panic mode. Now I am worried about the cleanup of what's in the walls. I believe I read there is some type of "stuff" or bacteria that is safe and breaks down the feces? Is this true? Is there any way to ensure a sanitary home at this point?
Hi David, I live in a nice neighborhood [Columbus Ohio.] and solved my house rat problem [attic and crawl space just as you advise]. I have a motorhome stored by the side of my house and and had $1,700 worth of electrical wire damage 5 years ago. All damage was below the coach living quarters in wire runs which cross on top of fuel ,water, and sewage tanks. I have been able to isolate and close some of these spaces but not all. In addition the generator set box, room slide out space, and vented battery boxes do not lend themselves to isolation. I had one more instance of rat damage to wiring which I fixed myself 2 years ago. Anytime I see signs of rats I set multiple traps everywhere I can set them. I almost always catch one rat , never more. I have used have usd 8 trays of various repellants which I place at various previous rat sign locations. You list all of mine as useless and You are likely right. I could set traps permanently but they need to be checked , rebaited etc and at age 76 I'm getting damn tire of rolling around on a creeper under my motorhome with 1 1/2 ft of clearance to the house on the right side and 6" clearance to a fence on the left. Any suggestions ?
Columbus Rat Control Tip of The Week
Is One Rat A Sign That There Are More Present?
Rats are animals that tend to move around in groups, they are not solitary animals. For this reason, if you see a rat in your home, it is a sign that there are more rodents present. It is imperative that you start radical extermination as soon as possible, avoiding their reproduction.
In addition to traveling in groups, they have a very rapid reproduction capacity, especially if they find a comfortable place in your home.
How To Know If There Are Rats In Your House?
If you have seen or heard a rat in your home, there are probably more hidden in the most unexpected corners of your house. There are many ways you can tell if there are rodents in your home, even if you don't see them. For example:
Unusual Sounds: Rats are noisy animals; they can make noise at night, or even during the day. Whenever they bump into things, chew on objects or food, and move from one side of the house to the other, you will hear them
Nibbled Food And Objects: The best sign that there are rats in your house is if you find nibbled objects, such as clothes, shoes, or bags. Similarly, finding food packaging with holes or even foods with bites is a sign of rodents in the house.
Droppings And Urine: Rats will usually leave them anywhere in the house. It is important to be aware of any sighting of excrement, which can be quite small (the size of a grain of rice).
Where Do These Rodents Usually Hide?
Rats will always look for a place that provides them with safety and food. They usually hide in small spaces, as it is easier for them to move from one place to another. They will probably decide to stay in a place close to the kitchen so that it is easier to go out in search of food for their pups.
In short, seeing a rat is a sign that more are present and hidden. Don't wait a minute to take action in this situation! The last thing you want is a plague of rats living inside the walls of your home.
